BROKEN ARROW, Okla. — Three months after Robby Bell announced plans to reopen Bell's Amusement Park, 2 News Oklahoma is learning his family isn't formally involved in the development.
Bell held a press conference in November, announcing his plans for the park on 102-acres of land in Broken Arrow.
“In the very near future, we will have a chronological timeline of what we think will open first and when," Bell said during that November press conference.
At the time of the announcement, Bell laid out a plan for the park.
“Right now, the ground that we are standing on, which is closest to 71st St. will probably be all kiddie park," Bell said in November. "Whereas the thrill park will run parallel with the Creek Turnpike. The water park will be back toward 81st St.”
Now we’re learning the park may not happen. And the Bell family isn’t formally involved.
The initial update came earlier this week from Broken Arrow City Manager Michael Spurgeon. During a city council meeting, he said he heard from the Santa Cruz Seaside Company, which bought the land announced as the new Bell’s. Spurgeon said the company’s president, Karl Rice, told him they wanted to do a market study before deciding how to develop the land.
READ MORE:Bell's Amusement Park plans slow down as owners debate use for Broken Arrow land
Spurgeon and other city officials were at the Bell’s announcement in November. He said Bell told him he had investors for the development. Looking back, he said the announcement was premature.
“Based on what we know now, yes absolutely," Spurgeon said. "Mr. Bell basically asked the city to attend and we did because obviously there is tremendous potential to have an amusement park in Broken Arrow.”
2 News Oklahoma reached out to the Santa Cruz Seaside Company about the development. It said:
"The Santa Cruz Seaside Company is thrilled to explore development opportunities on the land we purchased in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. In the months ahead we will work closely with the City of Broken Arrow to study the feasibility of different development opportunities for the site, and we look forward to the process unfolding as we learn more."
With no mention of the Bell family, 2 News asked about their involvement.
The Santa Cruz Seaside Company said:
“The Bell’s are not part of the ownership group that purchased the land. They have no formal role in future development plans at this time. We’ve talked about working with them on development possibilities but have no formal agreement with them.”
Spurgeon said he was told the Bell family contacted the Santa Cruz Seaside Company about the land. He said he and others at the city were excited about the potential to work with the company, which owns the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk among other businesses.
“It did give the city some sense of relief potentially be dealing with a company that had many decades of experience in that business," Spurgeon said.
Spurgeon said there's currently no timeline for any development plans; however, he said the Santa Cruz Seaside Company does intend to develop it into something.
“In fact, that property could or not include an amusement park," he said. "It could be a combination of a mixed-use with an amusement park. That’s something that they’re still working on at this time.”
There's no timeline for development. If an amusement park application is submitted, Spurgeon said they will retain a consultant to help work through it.
2 News reached out to Robby Bell, but has not heard back.
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